The 2010 Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints have 14 more wins than the Vikings since meeting in the NFC championship game that year because they built long-term success with deft personnel decisions, stability and the continued excellence of quarterback Drew Brees.

The widening gap has left the Vikings searching for answers just 23 months after marching into the Superdome with Super Bowl aspirations. Since the 31-28 overtime loss, many of the Vikings’ key players who propelled them into that game are aging or injured or have relocated to such locales as Mississippi (Brett Favre), Seattle (Sidney Rice) and Atlanta (Ray Edwards).

In 2010, they were smart enough to draft Graham, who had played one year of college ball at Miami. Now he has 80 catches, 1,101 yards and eight touchdowns through 13 games this season.

Three offensive lineman selections since 2005 have been selected for Pro Bowls: tackle Jammal Brown (first round, 2005) and guards Jahri Evans (fourth, 2006) and Carl Nicks (fifth, 2008), although Brown is now with the Washington Redskins. In July, the Vikings tried to sign Saints starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod, a fourth-rounder in 2007, to replace Bryant McKinnie, a 2002 first-round pick.

Since 2006, the Saints have invested four first- or second-round picks in the defensive backfield. All four players are prominent in the secondary rotation: Patrick Robinson (first round, 2010), Malcolm Jenkins (first, 2009), Tracy Porter (second, 2008) and Roman Harper (second, 2006).

Two first-round defensive linemen, Sedrick Ellis (2008) and Will Smith (2004), have been consistent playmakers, and 2011 first-rounder Cameron Jordan has potential.

Brees and running back Darren Sproles have been free-agency home runs, and the Saints acquired Pro Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma in a 2008 trade with the New York Jets for a fourth-round pick.

The Vikings have had draft successes in recent years, especially in the first round with linebacker Chad Greenway (2006), running back Adrian Peterson (2007) and wide receiver Percy Harvin (2009). And defensive end Jared Allen might as well count as a hit in that category, considering the Vikings traded their first-round pick (among others) to Kansas City to get him in 2008.

But the Vikings’ lack of emphasis on the offensive line and secondary – drafting a combined three players in the first rounds at those positions since 1994 – is catching up.

Misses on second-round safety Tyrell Johnson in 2008 (because of performance) and second-round cornerback Chris Cook in 2010 (because of injuries and legal issues) have set back the defensive backfield, now one of the NFL’s worst.

STABILITY

The Saints’ two leaders, coach Sean Payton and Brees, say continuity has played a major role in their three-season run of 10 wins or more.

Payton, who also calls offensive plays, and Brees began their offensive harmony in 2006, when one of Payton’s first tasks was courting Brees in free agency.

Their respectable 25-23 start from 2006-08 served as what Brees called “very much a learning experience.”

Over time, the Saints developed a system, hired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in 2009 and cultivated a winning culture.

“All that’s really paid dividends for us now,” Brees said. “We’re a veteran team that’s been through a lot. We’ve learned a formula for winning and sustaining success.”

Added Payton: “Ownership, general manager, head coach, players on this team, a staff – there’s been a very stable program that I think everyone understands.”

With a first-year head coach and likely several more roster changes on the way, the Vikings are undergoing a major rebuilding project. Gone from the Vikings’ NFC title game roster are Favre, Rice, Edwards, McKinnie, defensive tackle Pat Williams, linebacker Ben Leber, wide receiver Bernard Berrian, running back Chester Taylor and safety Madieu Williams. Several other highly paid players might be on their way out, as well.

The Saints have started one quarterback since the title game; the Vikings have started five.

“Our biggest focus is on what we can do to avoid another season like the season we’re experiencing now,” coach Leslie Frazier said. “There are a lot of things that we have to take a hard look at going forward. That’s probably where my attention is, more than analyzing the differences between the two clubs.”

BREES

Brees was one of the league’s best quarterbacks during the Super Bowl run.

He is performing even better now.

With 4,368 passing yards through 13 games, Brees is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s season record of 5,084 and finish with 5,376. That would give him a six-year average with the Saints of 4,716 yards.

The only Vikings quarterback to record one season of more than Brees’ average was Daunte Culpepper with 4,717 in 2004.

The Vikings hope they have a promising future with rookie quarterback Christian Ponder, who has shown signs of heady play but has thrown eight interceptions in his past four games.

After a career-high 22 interceptions in 2010, Brees has just 11 through 13 games this season.

“Drew’s a leader, man – all the way, full-out leader,” said Vikings defensive tackle Remi Ayodele, who played for the Saints from 2008-10. “Walks in the room, has everyone’s attention. He’s hard on himself, though. Drew works probably harder than anybody.”

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